


Onlooker

by FreashFruitAndChocolate



Category: The Pacific (TV)
Genre: M/M, Mentions of PTSD, Period-Typical Homophobia, Post-War, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-10-10 09:44:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10434954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreashFruitAndChocolate/pseuds/FreashFruitAndChocolate
Summary: Original character point of view of Snafu and Eugene's relationship.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is purely based on the TV series portrayal and not the real vets.

She wasn’t like most girls. Most girls her age were planning on making families. Finding a nice husband with good looks, a nice car and loads of money. Even as a child she didn’t fit in, never cared much for future husbands and learning to bake, clean, and how to hold babies on her hips. 

No, she much preferred something not so traditional.

It started when she was little, breaking things only to fix it again. With toys she broke on purpose then bicycles the neighborhood boys would wreck, old furniture that would begin to wither and fall apart, and soon full on machinery.

She remembered seeing the inside of her daddy’s car. The gears, the pumps the metal against metal. It was like a disaster waiting to happen but also not. Working do to constant fixing.

She had to teach herself that. How to fix. Breaking is easy, fixing is hard. She learned this when her mother died, learned it when her father began to forget she existed. It was her natural sense of curiosity that developed into a passion.

That’s why she’s here, in a rusty old lumber mile with the smell of oil seeping out of her clothes and the loud harsh sound of metal rubbing against metal.

Everyone had to play there part during the war. At the time women had to work in the place of their husbands who had gone to fight. Working jobs they never thought they could like in factories doing full on hard labor. Piling up wood and pushing metal. Army nurses and whatnot.

But now, now that the war is over there expected to go back to their “place”. The wars over, the men that survived are home. “A women’s place is the home” they say. What a joke. Women pulled most of the weight in those times than ever before. What was stopping them from still doing it now?

She’s here, pulling just as much weight as any man. Working as an engineer in a lumber mile. And well she was damn well proud of it. Just because some old man in a suit with big money says it isn’t her place don’t bother her non anyhow. 

The owner of the mile, a sloppy looking tired old man, with sweat always laying under his arm pits didn’t care much if she stayed or go. She was good at her work and as far as he cared she could stay as long as she made sure everything stayed working.

Days like this, where she was in-between two large gears that had a latch that broke off. These days were her favorite. Her fingers were caked in grease making everything slippery. Even the wench she was using to tighten two loose bolts slipped out of her hand and landed on a lower beam just out of reach from where she was standing. 

Thankfully she had the mind to cut her hair as short as a boy’s to keep it from getting snagged. It also helped her look more like a young man to any curious eyes. Once she squeezed her boney arm between the two gears that were above the beam she decided she need to wash her hands.

They only had one outdoor sink and the others were in the bathroom. The outdoor sink was closer. But was also out in the lumber yard. Where the men worked.

Even though she worked more in the background and not out in the yard they still tried their best bothering her. Talk went out fast when they found out she was female.

Cat calls and what not, dirty comments slipping off their tongues like the oil that caked her hands. Covered in grease and saw dust. Looking worn and sweaty. She sneered at them never sparing them more than a glance. “Animals” she thinks, all of them, all men are animals.

She made quick work passing them, soon enough making it to the outdoor sink. As she finally was able to wash her hands under the cool water and feel some peace of mind she heard a voice.

“How you doin’ there cher.”

It was the slow drawn out way it was said that made the hairs on her arm stand on end. It was suppose too be a question but came out more like a statement. She could basically see the slow smile slide on his face without her even needing to turn around. 

She basically hated all the men here but there was one that got under skin the most.

“Shelton.” She spat the name out like a curse.

As she whipped her head around to look at him she saw the big Cheshire cat grin she expected, lazy and more prominent on one side of his mouth then the other.

“Yeah.” He says, like she was the one asking a question.

Oh how she hates him.

She remembers meeting him. “Merriel Shelton” he said walking up to the boss asking for work cigarette in his mouth. It was a time like right now when she needed to wash her hands, she glanced up at him and he looked at her gave her a big old predatory grin. What a creep. Just by the smile alone he reeked of bad news and she wanted nothing to do with him.

He’s an ugly looking boy. A mess of curls on his head that looks more like a rat’s nest, Tanned, skinny, oily looking skin and those big hollow pale looking eyes. He looked worse than most of the boys here and she wasn’t even the type to be picky in terms of looks. But it added to the creep factor he already emulated.

“What do you want?” she spouted. Ready to bypass him and go back to her work. “What I can’t say hello?” he said walking over to her. Knowing he was trying to get all up in her space she took two tent eve steps back. “You’re late.” She sneered.

That must have discouraged him a little seeing as he turned and looked at the men already hard at work.

“You gon’ get fired.” She said with a mean smirk on her face. He looked back at her with a daring look. “Nah” he mumbles. He then proceeds to take out a cigarette from his breast pocket and light it with a dingy looking lighter. “I hope you get fired.” she says. Her eyes boring into his own showing she means it in the cruelest way.

She wants him to feel how much she’s disgusted by him. He does nothing but look back at her all uninterested, the cigarette in his mouth hanging loosely. It’s like he knows this kind of look so well that it just brushes off his shoulders.

She rolls her eyes and begins to walk back to her work. Before she makes it so much as a few feet away she hears him.

“You should try being nicer. Smile more then maybe you could find a decent man to help you get that stick out yo ass”

The comment is callous and it’s said with a grin, she doesn’t even need to look. She stops, her hands in tight fists. She doesn’t give him a glance or a word just walks away itching to hear the grinding of gears.  
____________ 

Lunch comes along and most of the boys go off to get food and cold beers. She rarely leaves during lunch, doesn’t like to leave til the works done. Instead she goes outside to the back for a smoke and a cool bottle of water. She stands there basking in the sun light closing her eyes to get the full effect. She tosses her head to the side at a loud noise. She looks over to see Shelton still working moving planks of wood and sweating heavily.

Asshole deserves it. She starts spilling some of her water on her arms, it felt nice and cold plus it helped wash off some of the grime that she collected on her skin. The Louisiana sun was hot and the air humid during this time of year. She smoothed the back of her hand over her forehead. Her body was sore but a good sore, the pain came from hard work.

She sees the men coming back. Sloppy and laughing loudly, cold beers and bagged food in hand.

“Hey Shelton! Why you neva come with us to crack some cold ones eh!?” Shouted one of the men. She thinks his name is Georgie.

Barely any of the men talked to Shelton and even if they did it was in short sentences. Small talk that was mostly one sided.

All the men seemed to be wary of Shelton. She didn’t blame them, the man had a bad vibe. She wasn’t a superstitious woman but she swore he reeked of bad juju. All pent up anger and raw emotion contained in his body like a bomb on the verge of going off. 

Shelton glanced at them with little to no interest.

“Got work to do.” he mumbled. And that was the end of that conversation.

The whistle that went off was a sign they all needed to get back to work. The men walked back in, ready to go to their positions and she finished the last of her water going back to work herself.

And that’s how it was. The men sweat, she fixed and Shelton doesn’t speak to anyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 coming soon.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 =D

It was a humid Wednesday morning when one of the men walked up to her while she was working.

“Hey there!” he shouted at her. She looked up at him from where she was crouching, her forehead sweaty and arms greased. It was that guy Georgie again. She found out he was new to the yard, got hired a few weeks ago and he loves to talk. Which she hates. He speaks with a thick Boston accent and it only makes talking to him twice as annoying. What was a Boston city boy doing in New Orleans bother everyone with his annoying accent?

She didn’t have time for this. She has work to do. 

Why was he here anyway? He should be working. She was thinking about ignoring him but then he may just try talking to her again later. Might as well get it over with.

“What?” She asked.

“Me and a couple of the other guys are thinkin bout goin to the local bar after work. We were wonderin if you’d like to join us?” he chuckles at the end.

 

Most of the men didn’t try talking to her. At least not up front. Gave her own set of shiners to a couple ones that got to handsy. Mouthed off to the rest. Flat out learned to ignore them over time. “What do you expect when you work here?” Said the boss when she mentioned it. “You can’t go injuring no one.”

Now yet another cherry pickin asshole was in her space.

“Why the hell would I want to do that?”

“I don’t know. You look lonely” he replied.

She stood up and smirked.

“Yeah? Men over there lookin lonely too. You ask them?”

“As a matter a fact I did.” He said with a smile, sounding so proud of himself that he proved her wrong. “So what’da say?”

“No.” she answered, picking up her hammer. “And, if you or another one of your little friends comes back here and interrupts me while I’m workin’ gettin’ fired won’t be your only problem. Understand?” She threatened. Jabbing him with her hammer.

The asshole started laughing.

“Man they weren’t kiddin’ you really are something.” He said still in a fit of laughter.

She glared at his back as he walked away, joining up with the other men and watched as they all began laughing. 

Bunch of idiots.

“See told ya you should be nicer.”

That fucking voice.

She turned her head. What the hell was he doin’ creepin’ up on her like that. 

“If you was nicer they wouldn’t keep messin with you.” Shelton said. Like many of the other men his shirt was off and he smelled awful. “Just try being a little sweeter cher.” And there’s that creepy ass grin again.

“If I was “nicer” they’d only mess with me more.” She replied rolling her eyes, crouching back down.

“How you know? You ever tried?” he questioned leaning against a support beam, pale soulless eyes looking right into hers. It was like he was challenging her. Asshole.

“If I remember correctly, you ain’t the nicest fella round here. So why the hell should I listen to you” ? What does he know about being nice to anyone ? The guy was rude to any and every one.

He doesn’t answer her, just… stares, but in a way that makes it look like he’s not even looking at her. Then he looks down. And she knows this look. It’s the look her father had for so many years after her mom died, seeing it on Shelton was…unsettling.

She had to look away. She has work to do.

As she goes back to hammering something gets thrown in front of her.

It’s an old pack of cigarettes, with three left inside.

She looks up at where Shelton was standing, only to see his back as he walks away.

 

\----------

 

She honestly kept forgetting Shelton is a Vet. Was a marine once and had fought in the war. 

The way she saw it he probably hadn’t done much, knowing him he probably spent his time hiding behind some other solider and causing nothing but trouble for everyone. He never spoke about it like the other vets she heard in bars so he probably had nothing to tell.

Boy if she knew those war bonds were going to this guy…

The only times she was reminded were brief moments, like when he would flirt with the receptionist in her office and hear him mentioning it as an easy way to get under her skirt or these… weird moments.

Like when one of the men offered him a piece of apple resting on a knife. The look on his face was unreadable but something was defiantly going on there. He just stared at the knife then at the guy, not staying anything.

She chalked it up as typical Shelton weirdness.

 

\-----------

 

She was putting fresh oil on one of the engine gears when she heard hollering. Not just one guy either but multiple. She frowned and got up to go to the yard.

She ran over to find them in a circle cheering and shouting, others running to see what was going on.

She knew what it meant when men were all huddled together like this.

Someone was fighting.

Great.

Curiosity got the better of her because she was trying to push past to get a glimpse.

Eventually she was able to make it to the front after some squeezing to see who was scraping.

Oh.

Shelton had the guy in a head lock, honest to god looking like he was trying to choke the life out of him. The look on his face was murderous and full of rage. The guy got loose by kicking his leg out, causing him and Shelton to fall over. However that didn’t do much for him cause now Shelton’s hands were around his neck. 

That’s when one of the men decided to break it up.

“What the hell’s goin’ on here!?” shouted the boss, coming out of his office.

“He jumped me out of know where!” Choked out the guy clenching his throat. His throat had…blood on it? 

“Bullshit! He almost cut my fucking hand off!” Shelton shouted venom in his voice. Two men were holding him back. He was still trying to charge forward looking ready to rip the guy’s head off.

It was then that she looked at Shelton’s right hand. It was bleeding heavily under his clenched fist.

“I don’t give a shit who was doing what! You two get back to work or your both fired!” The boss spouted eyeing Shelton especially. This wasn’t his first fight. Shelton wasn’t even looking at him though just continued a menacing stare at the other guy.

“All of you get back to work!”

The men dispersed going back to their work stations.

“Man that was good!” Yucked one of them to the rest.

“I almost had him I tell ya.” Says the guy that almost got choked out. 

Idiots.

She looked at Shelton.

“Come on you need to wrap that up.” Said one of the guys holding him.

It’s then that she things Shelton realized he was bleeding. He looked at his hand a bit shocked by it. To be fair it looked painful.

She looked at the buzz saw where Shelton works. It had blood on it. That one guy must have left it running while no wood was on it. Which he wasn’t supposed to do. And she guesses Shelton had rested his hand on the metal while the blade came forward. Everything was loud here, he probably didn’t notice the saw til his hand got sliced.

It wasn’t that big of a cut (probably could use stiches though) but the way Shelton was look at it his guts might as well had been spilling out.

“Come on.” Said one of the men snapping Shelton out of whatever spell he was in.

 

\---------

 

Shelton’s been angrier then usual she noticed. He’s always been one mean looking guy but before he use to just ignore people now it was like he was trying to get into trouble.

He gets in another fight when a guy comments on his wrapped up hand during lunch.

The boss calls him in his office. She’s honestly surprised he hasn’t been fired yet. She thinks the boss like the others are afraid of him.

\---------

He’s gone for three days after. She’s not sure if the boss issued it or if he asked for time off. Good riddance, she was sick of coming to work ready to see blood spill.

\---------

Shelton comes back a week later. Different, not as angry.

He sneaks up on her while she’s eating on break. She was sitting in the grass enjoying herself too. He lingered over her smoking a cigarette, acting like he belonged there.

“What do you want?” She asked without looking at him.

He didn’t say anything so she looked up at him, shielding her eyes from the sun. He just stood there smoking slowly in small puffs. It looked like he was in deep thought and didn’t even hear her. Whatever.

\----------

The next morning Shelton comes to work with a black eye.

“Damn Shelton who’d you piss off?” said one of the guys laughing.

She smirk, he looked miserable and glared at the guy who asked.

And for the first time she joined the teasing. 

“Aw date gone wrong? Then again knowing you, you probably didn’t get that far.” 

He gave her a look that looked so fed up she started laughing.

 

\----------

 

A strange thing started happening.

Shelton started taking more days off which wasn’t normal for him. Everyone took days off, she would from time to time but before Shelton would miss as much as one or two days per month, now he was gone for days per week and would take overtime for the days he was gone.

She enjoyed the peace his lack of presence would bring but the days he was there were just as weird.

She noticed one day he came to work not looking as warn as usually and smelled like window cleaner. Rare she thought. Then he started looking like that more often with a clean pressed shirt and everything.

Ok what the hell ?

Today something even weirder happened.

One of the men pulled down the collar of Shelton’s shirt when they were all walking in this morning.

“Woah looky here!” he sang.

She turned to look as the other guys did.

“Finally found a prostitute willing to give it too ya eh Shelton?” Yelled Georgie with his annoying ass accent.

Sure enough there was a big purplish mark on Shelton’s neck. Gross.

Shelton wasn’t paying them any attention though. He swatted the guy’s arm that pulled his collar and continued walking.

\---------

The days that followed he had even more marks on his neck…and when he took his shirt off nail scratches on his back…

To his’s credit he tried hiding them but it was hard to do in this heat.

And when the guys saw they’d tease and question him like school girls.

“You seein’ the same girl or what?”

“Yeah how much cash you losin’?”

Shelton doesn’t answer them.

\----------

On Friday a guy asks “Hey Shelton you got a broad or something?”

She hadn’t thought of that but it made sense.

The only thing was she couldn’t picture a woman stupid enough or desperate enough to get with him. 

Lunch came by and he did his usual thing. Standing there doing nothing but smoking in her space but this time he had lunch with him. Wow maybe he really did have a wife.

If he’s able to keep the girl this invested and fooled love maybe he’s not that bad.

“The girl givin you those must be ugly or brain dead.” She spoke up. Talking about the pattern of marks that once again were on his neck. She didn’t even care really just wanted to start a conversation.

He smiled.

A gross fond smile too but quickly slid into a smirk.

“Mm Probably.” He answered

What the hell did that even mean? 

This bastard.

She was trying to be nice and that’s what he says.

Never mind she still hates him and she chalks up that his girl is just stupid.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise Surprise !!! No I did not abandon this I've just been really busy X(

The one good thing about Shelton having a girl was that it almost seemed to normalize him. He was still bizarrely twitchy and creep but at least now he started behaving like an actual human being and not some weird creature on two legs. 

He started actually accepting the men’s offer to go to the bar and would make vulgar jokes with them during work. 

On break some men started gambling sessions with playing cards and dice.

“Hey you want in?” Shelton hollers in her direction, cigarette resting in the corner of his mouth. He wasn’t looking at her but at the cards in his hands. He was sitting on a small crate in a circle with some of the other men, cards laid out on the floor along with a small pile of bills, probably playing blackjack. 

She looked at him, double checking to make sure he was talking to her, sure enough he was.

She got up from her spot on the grass with a sign and walked over, she had nothing better to do.

“What?” She asked hands in her pockets. Since she was closer she now saw that it wasn’t just bills in the pile, three packs of cigarettes, four cigars and an expensive looking watch along with the money rested near Shelton’s feet.

“Playin’ blackjack, these assholes are whimpin’ out.” Shelton mumbles big smile on his face, eyes wild and crazed with joy. Clearly he had been winning.

“That’s only cause we’re tired of loosin’ cash ta you.” One guy chimed in face scrunched up in irritation, all the men around looked just as grumpy.

She didn’t care for gambling but the idea of beating Shelton at his own game got the best of her. She dug in her pocket and fished out two twenties and through them in.

“Fine I’ll play.” She smirked

 

She lost.

___________

She’s wiping her hands when a skinny redheaded guy walks into the Yard. He eyes the yard curiously like he’s in a fucking museum. All the men working turn to look at him, some glaring and she can see why. He looked…really out of place. He’s very pale, standing out more with his bright hair, pressed white clean button up and black slacks. Everything about him looked so clean and proper he looked wrong standing in the dirt and grease infested lumber factory. 

She glanced at the expensive looking watch he was wearing that looked familiar...“He’s just asking to get robbed.” She thought to herself. He was eyeing the yard like he was looking for something. The men looked back at him glaring and sneering but the guy didn’t seem frightened or even uncomfortable just kept looking for whatever it was he was looking for, then his eyes fell on her.

“Uh hi… is Snafu here?” He asked with a very noticeable southern accent, proceeding to walk towards her. She didn’t answer him, mostly cause she didn’t understand what he just ask and also because she just didn’t like this guy’s look. What the hell was he doing here?

When she didn’t answer he look away from the yard and set his brown eyes at her. There was something different about how he looked at her compared to most rich folk she’s encountered. He didn’t look down on her, at her clothes or her hands but kept his eyes trained on her face. Which was almost more intimidating.

“What?” 

“Ah… sorry I mean Merriell Shelton.” He said his fingers pressed to the bridge of his nose closing his eyes tightly for a second. The guy looked…tired.

Why was he looking for Shelton?

“What you want with Shelton?” She asked confused her eyes squinting.

The question seemed to catch him off guard. He looked at her right in the eyes with a more serious looking expression.

“Is he here?” He asked ignoring her.

“Why?” She shot the question right back.

The guy has the nerve to roll his eyes.

“Please…just…is he here?” He stumbles the words out in a frustrated tone.

“No.” She answered wanting this conversation to just end. Shelton had left earlier with some of the guys doing who knows what.

“Son of a…” The guy spattered frustrated. “Fine…ah…thank you.”

And with that he walked out.

What the fuck?

_____________

Shelton comes back an hour later laughing with the other guys.

“Hey Shelton!” She yells walking up to him.

“What?” He mumbles not even looking up at her.

“A man came looking for you.” He turns to look at her then, confused.

“What man?”

“Rich looking guy, red hair, real polished.”

And for the first time she sees panic on his face, like actual fear. It only lasts a second because he’s eyes begin looking around wildly.

“Shit!” He spits out. He then moves closer to her, walking right up in her space.

“What’d he say?” He whispers to her, his eyes darting around the group of men not too far away.

“Nothin’ just that he was lookin’ for you. What? You owe him money or somethin’?” She questioned. As soon as it leaves her mouth she wonders why she cares.

His darting eyes look back at her

“Nothin’ just forget you saw him.” He said firmly. With that he walks away.

_____________

She’s on her way out for the day when she hears the sound of two men arguing. It’s not unusual, fights tend to break out from time to time. But the day is over and it’s coming from outside behind the back of the lumber mile.

No one should be back there. She becomes even more suspicious when she hears a familiar Cajon accent. She walks over ready to tell Shelton and whoever he’s talking to; to get the fuck out until she hears what their saying.

“What the hell Snaf!?”

“What you mean ‘What the hell’? I should be askin’ you that!”

She peaks over and sees Shelton talking to that ginger from earlier. They were almost damn near yelling at this point.

“What?”

“What the hell you doin’ showin’ up here? You tryin’ to get yourself killed!?” Shelton shoved him.

The guy shoves him right back.

“I was looking for you; you ass! Again!”

Shelton rolls his eyes at that and the ginger looks twice as angry.

“Look, do you even want me here?”

“Gene…” Shelton says the name like a warning.

“No. I know I came in when I did and I didn’t really give you much choice and…”

“If I didn’t want you here you think I woulda’ said it?”

“Then what the fuck is going on? One minute you’re telling me everything’s fine and that I can stay, then the next you’re ignoring me acting like I’m not even there!”

“I ain’t ignorin’ you.”

“Yeah!? I had to come all the way down here cause you’ve been gone for days! Every time I wake up your AWOL.”

“Aw what? This yo thing now. You get all sad and lonely the second I ain’t there to wake you up, princess.”

What? What are they talking about?

The ginger gets a really pissed off look on his face. Tight lipped and fist clenched.

He lets out a stranded short chuckle.

“Fuck you Snaf.” He turns and begins walking away.

“Sledge…Gene. Eugene!” Shelton moves quickly and grabs his arm.

“Look I didn’t mean…I…been busy and shit. You being here, I gotta make more money or else we both won’t have nothin’. Work plus huslin’ money takes up time.”

She can’t see the ginger’s face because his back is to her but she can see that the two men are standing strangely close. She also notices Shelton’s hand slid gently from the guys arm to holding his hand.

“Shit…I…sorry I didn’t mean…I.” Eugene’s, she assumes that’s his name, voice becomes panicked in his frustration.

They both sound tired.

“Nah I know what you mean.”

“No I don’t…Look, I don’t wanna make life harder for you…I don’t wanna push…”

“Life can’t get any harder than war Eugene.”

That shuts him up and it looks like the conversations over.

She’s about to turn away. Done peeping when she sees it.

Shelton grabs the guy’s collar and gives him a quick kiss.

It’s brief like he was trying to punch the guy with his lips or something.

She blinks in shock. Her heart feels like it jumped to her stomach.

“Come on, wanna get home so I can clean all this shit off.” Shelton smirks and gives Eugene a firm pat on the back. 

And then there both gone.

And now she’s the only one who knows who Shelton’s “girl” is.

________________

She’s heard of queers before. Never really knew any though. She never thought much about them personally, never paid much attention to talk of “Those damn homo freaks or that guy’s a damn fairy!” She just wasn’t the type to talking about it. She wasn’t religious so she had no real anger towards it like many others. She had always just thought it was strange.

Now she knows a queer. Or maybe not, Shelton seemed to like women too so maybe he just didn’t care.

Plus Shelton didn’t behave like she always thought fairies did. He wasn’t at all feminine. And from the looks of it the red head, No matter how soft his pearly white skin looked he didn’t fit the type either. 

Did they serve together? She supposes she could see how that happened. A thousand men stuck together with little contact from any women.

But they were still together now. So it wasn’t just a simple fling.

What the hell do they think they’re doing? They could get arrested or worse. She knows what happens if people know your queer in places like this…

______________

There was just one day when she mentions it.

One day when Shelton gets on her nerves so bad she wants to hurt him.

But she can’t physically do it. She’ll get in trouble, but she can do it with words.  
It was almost the end of the day, she only had to clean up then she was done but then of course in all his sneaking Shelton decided to mess with her. She told him to fuck off but he stayed. And that’s when they started throwing insults. One after the other getting worse and worse.

“Yer such a bitch to everybody ain’t no one wants you around. Ain’t no man gon want to fuck you either, lookin’ like one yer self.” And the irony of him saying that is so damn strong she feels like throwing up. Shelton says it with a casual snide but it’s meant to hurt, meant to push her over the edge. It’s said with a mean smile of teeth and lazy eyes, cigarette hanging loose in his ugly grimy fingers.

He wouldn’t leave her alone. She noticed he had moments like this. Days where he would just keep pushing and pushing at peoples buttons just to see them go over the edge. To him it was like victory, amusing like the creep got off on it.

But not today.

“Yeah!? Rather be alone then be with some rich, red headed queer!” It leaves her mouth before she can think and for a second she feels a rush of victory in their arguments for once. But only for a second. Because she gets up and looks over at Shelton.

And for the first time she’s afraid of him.

He’s not talking anymore. No snarky comments.

His fingers are still and his eyes are wide.

She doesn’t move or breathe because she honestly can’t figure out how to get out of this. He’s blocking his only exit on the wall he’s leaning on.

The only thing she can thing is “This man has killed people before.”

Was this what they saw before they died? This half opened mouth stare.

“What?”

He moves, cigarette slipping from his hand. He pushes himself off the wall and now he’s slowly walking towards her.

Ok now she really needs to find a way out of this.

“Shelton I didn’t…”

“What the hell did you just say?”

Dammit. She looks around and she’s never been more pissed about the engine being so far from the mile. Everyone’s almost gone anyway.

“Look I don’t care what you do ok. I ain’t gon tell anyone.” She says firmly, standing her ground.

“Tell anyone what?”

She steps back because now he’s in her face. She can only take about four more before she hits a wall. Shelton’s short for a guy but he’s still taller than her and right now he’s towering over her eyes unblinking. He grabs her arm tightly like a vice.

“I don’t know what the hell you think you know but if I were you I’d keep my mouth shut.” His eyes track hers making share she looks him right in the eye. Possibly the scariest thing is he spoke in a complete sentence. No slurry lazy words at all.

But she doesn’t scare easy.

She resists his grip and puts her free had on his. “I told you I don’t give a damn what you do or who for that matter. I ain’t gon’ say nothin’.” 

He continues to stare angrily but she sees something that tells her he won’t hurt her. He just stares like he can tell if she’s lying or not.

“You don’t know shit.” He roughly let’s go of her arm, half pushing her really, and turns to exit. 

She looks at her arm and sure enough there’s a big red imprint of Shelton’s hand. It’s going to begin to bruise soon. Rubbing her now swollen arm she looks back at him.

And she doesn’t know what makes her say it. Probably the small simmer from there fighting earlier.

“More than you it looks like.”


End file.
